Liberal Arts and Education

ATTITUDE TOWARDS LEARNING THE

ENGLISH LANGUAGE AND THE READING
COMPREHENSION OF THE SECOND YEAR
ENGINEERING STUDENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY
OF THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION
Francis Kenneth D. Canono, Jarine K. Magtaas,
Shiella Jane Batobato, Shar Malou Joy Cadeliña

ABSTRACT

Attitude refers to a way a person views something or tends to behave

towards it; it refers to either positive or negative respond through the
initial response of the behavior. On the other hand, reading comprehension
refers to the growth of understanding about whether an individual fully
grasp what is read. In this descriptive-correlation study, the researchers
found that the attitude towards English language is high, while the reading
comprehension is moderately low. There is no significant difference in
attitudes towards English language when the respondents were grouped
according to gender and economic status. Similar to reading comprehension,
there is no significant difference when they were grouped according to
gender and economic status. Lastly, there was a significant relationship
between the attitude towards learning the English language and the reading
comprehension of the second year engineering students.

Keywords: attitude, English language, reading comprehension, engineering

students, Philippines

INTRODUCTION

English is very important because it is widely spoken all around the

world. Knowing English allows people to enjoy their life and work no
matter where they are. But, the attitude towards this language may affect
the process of learning it.

The problem on reading comprehension is a universal phenomenon.

In fact, a study conducted in Technical University in Taiwan where a total
of 135 undergraduate business and engineering students took English

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proficiency tests on vocabulary and reading.

In the engineering program of the University of the Immaculate

Conception, for instances it is observed that some of the Engineering
students take English classes, complying with their academic requirements
and using it in interaction, discussion or in other communication activities.
Most alarmingly, as observed by some teachers in professional subjects,
some of their engineering students are weak in reading comprehension.

In view of this, the researchers attempted to further investigate

the relationship between the attitude of the second year engineering
student respondents towards the English language and the reading
comprehension.

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to determine whether a significant relationship exist

between attitudes towards learning the English language and the reading
comprehension of the second year engineering students of UIC.

MATERIALS AND METHOD

The researchers used the descriptive – correlation method of research.

A correlation design in research examines the co-variation of two or more
variables. Employing the Slovin formula, 71 respondents out of the 86
second year engineering students of UIC were chosen. To measure the
independent variable which is the Attitude towards learning the English
language, the researchers used an adapted test questionnaire formulated
by R.C. Gardner in the year 1985 which was modified and validated
by three English professors of UIC. It is composed of 20 items test with
corresponding answer key. The measurement of the dependent variable
which is Reading Comprehension test was done through an adapted test
made by YCCD Assessment & Testing Center. It is composed of 10 reading
comprehension items with answer key. Statistical tools used included the
following: weighted mean, t-test, ANOVA, and Pearson r

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RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Table 1. Level of Attitude towards English Language

Study Variables Mean Level

Attidue 44.72 High

Table 1 shows that the level of the attitude towards English language
of the second year engineering students of UIC is 44.72. This means that
the attitude of the respondents is high. This implies that students have a
positive towards the English language.

Table 2. Level of Reading Comprehension

Study Variables Mean Level

Reading Comprehension 4.76 Moderately Low

Table 2 shows that the level of reading comprehension of the second

year engineering students of UIC is 4.76. This means that the reading
comprehension of the respondents is moderately low. This implies that
students have low level of reading comprehension.

Table 3. Attitude towards English Language

Grouped According to Sex

Sex Number Mean Difference p-value Evaluation Null

hypothesis

Male 62 45.27 Not

4.38 0.089>0.05 Significant Accepted
Female 9 40.89

Table 3 illustrates the respondents’ attitude towards English language

grouped according to sex. The researchers used the ANOVA to determine
the difference between attitudes towards English language when grouped
based on sex. The weighted mean of males is 45.27 and 40.89 for females.
The difference between the two is 4.38 having the p-value of 0.089 which
is greater than 0.05. This means that there is no significant difference in
attitudes towards English language in terms of gender. The null hypothesis
is accepted.

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This result is supported with the study conducted by Wong, S.L.,

and Hanafi, A. (2007) on gender differences in attitudes. The study was
conducted at University Putra Malaysia, Malaysia, with 73 female and 29
male students teachers involved as participants. There were no significant
differences between female and male student when pre– and post– test
mean scores were compared. Both genders exhibited the same levels of
attitudes before and after undergoing a comprehensive course.

Table 4. Attitude When Grouped According to Economic Status

Monthly Income Number Mean p-value Null

Evaluation
hypothesis

10,000 – below 15 46.47

11,000 – 20,000 19 45.73 0.909>0.05 Not Accepted

Significant
21,000 – 30,000 20 44.80

31,000 – 40,000 13 44.62

Others 4 41.75

Table 4 shows the attitude towards English language of second year

engineering students of UIC when grouped according to their economic
status. The researchers used the T-test to determine the attitude of the
respondents when grouped based on their economic status. There were
20 students with 44.80 whose monthly family income is 21,000-30,000.
There were 19 students having the mean of 45.73 and whose monthly
family income is 11,000-20,000. There were 15 students with highest
mean of 46.47 whose monthly income is 10,000 and below. There were 13
students having the mean of 44.62 and whose monthly family income is
31,000-40,000. There were only four students who got the mean of 41.75
and whose monthly family income is 41,000 and above. The p-value is
0.909>0.05 which means that the null hypothesis is accepted; thus, there
is no significant difference between attitude towards English language
when grouped according to economic status. John Tella (2011), conducted
a study in Maseno, Kenya about the “Students’ Perspectives on the School
English Curriculum in Kenya: Some Related Implications,” findings
indicated that students had positive perspective towards the school English
curriculum and that there was no difference in perspectives towards school
English curriculum across the gender.

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Table 5. Reading Comprehension When Grouped According to Sex

Sex Number Mean Difference p-value Evaluation Null

hypothesis

Male 62 4.92 Not

1.25 0.092>0.05 Significant Accepted
Female 9 3.67

Table 5 illustrates the reading comprehension of the second year

engineering students of UIC according to sex. The researchers used the
T-test to determine the difference in the reading comprehension of the
respondents when grouped based on sex. The weighted mean of males is
4.92 and 3.67 for females. The difference between the two is 1.25 having
the p-value 0f 0.092 which is greater than 0.05. This means that there
is no significant relationship between reading comprehension in terms
of gender. The null hypothesis is accepted. Cindy Brantmeier (2003) in
her research entitled “Does gender make a difference? Passage content
and comprehension is second language reading,” the results revealed no
significant differences between males and females in the written recall
and multiple choice comprehension scores across passages. This question
explored gender differences in the performance on comprehension task
for all passages utilized in this study, and the two different passages were
selected based on gender orientation of the topic. So, when examining
comprehension across multiple passages, males had no advantage over
females, and females had no advantage over males.

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Table 6. Reading Comprehension When Grouped

According to Economic Status

Monthly Income Number Mean p-value Null

Evaluation
hypothesis

10,000 – below 15 4.20

11,000 – 20,000 19 5.53 0.346>0.05 Not Accepted

Significant
21,000 – 30,000 20 4.45

31,000 – 40,000 13 5.23

Others 4 5.00

Table 6 shows the reading comprehension of second year engineering

students of UIC when grouped according to their economic status. The
researchers used the ANOVA to determine the attitude of the respondents
when grouped based on their economic status. There were 20 students
with the mean of 4.45 whose monthly family income is 21,000-30,000.
There were 19 students having the highest mean of 5.53 and whose
monthly family income is 11,000-30,000. There were 15 students with the
mean of 4.20 whose monthly family income is 10,000 below. There were
13 students having the mean of 5.23 and whose monthly family income is
31,000-40,000. There were only four students who got the mean of 5.00
and whose monthly family income is 41,000 and above. The p-vlaue is
0.0346>0.05 which means that the null hypothesis is accepted; hence,
there is no significant difference between reading comprehension when
grouped according to economic status, Callaway (2010) revealed that
income of the family and occupation of the parents were not significantly
related to reading achievement. However, socioeconomic status has positive
correlation with achievement, examination and anxiety.

In summary, there is no significant difference in both the attitude

towards learning the English language and the reading comprehension of
the second year engineering students of UIC when grouped according to
sex and economic status. The results of the ANOVA tests and t-test were
found to have p-value always greater than 0.05 which means that the null
hypotheses are accepted.

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Table 7. Relationship between Levels of Attitude

and Reading Comprehension

Variables Pearson Null

Correlation Level Evaluation
Paired Hypothesis
Coefficient

Attitude- Low Significant Rejected

Reading 0.335 Positive (p=0.004<0.05)
Comprehension Correlation

Table 7 presents the relationship between the level of attitude towards

English language and the reading comprehension of second year engineering
student of UIC. The researchers used the Pearson r to test the relationship
between independent variable and dependent variable. The variables paired
are the attitude towards English language and reading comprehension. The
Pearson Correlation Coefficient is 0.335; the interpreted level is low positive
correlation. This means that null hypothesis is rejected because it is found
that there is a significant relationship between the attitude towards English
language and the reading comprehension of the respondents. Mathewson’s
(1994) Model of Attitude Influence upon Reading and Learning to Read is
derived from the area of social psychology. This model attempts to explain
the roles of affect and recognition in reading comprehension. The core of
the attitude-influence model explains that a reader’s whole attitude toward
reading (i.e., prevailing feelings and evaluative beliefs about reading and
action readiness for reading) will influence the intention to read, in turn
influencing reading behavior. Intention to read is proposed as the primary
mediator between attitude and reading. Intention is defined as “commitment
to a plan for achieving one or more reading purposes at a more or less
specified to a plan for achieving one or more reading purposes at a more or
less specified time in the future” (Mathewson, 1994). All other moderator
variables (e.g., extrinsic motivation, involvement, prior knowledge, and
purpose) are viewed as affecting the relationship of attitude and reading
by influencing the intention to read.

The researchers affirmed that reading comprehension is affected by

attitudes. Therefore, there is a direct relationship between attitude and
reading comprehension. The higher the attitude towards learning the English
language, the higher the reading comprehension will be. This means that
positive attitudes will lead to higher level of reading comprehension and
that negative attitudes will also lead to lower of reading comprehension
among learners like that of the second year engineering students of UIC.

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CONCLUSION

The researchers concluded that the level of attitude towards English

language of the respondents was high. This means that the respondents
have a positive attitude towards the English language; they are interested
in English language. However, the level of the reading comprehension was
moderately low. This means that the respondents have difficulties in terms
of understanding the written text in a given selection.

There is no significant difference in the attitude towards learning

the English language and the reading comprehension of the respondents
according to sex and economic status. This means that sex and economic
status do not affect the attitude towards learning the English language and
the reading comprehension of the respondents.

The relationship between attitude and reading comprehension shows

positive correlation. This means that there is a significant relationship
between the attitude towards English language and the reading
comprehension of the respondents. Therefore, reading comprehension
is affected by positive or negative attitude towards learning the English
language.

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References

Callaway, et al. (2010). Study of socio-economic status & family

environmental factors & their effect on language skills of
engineering college students. Retrieved February 2011.

Mathewson, (1994). Model if attitude influence upon reading and learning

to read. Social Psychology, p.1135. Retrieved: September 10,
2001. http://www.csus.edu/indiv/g/gipej/teaparty.pdf

Morales, Katrina Ninfa S. (2010). Promoting the reading comprehension of

freshmen engineering students through an interactive approach
to content-based materials. University of Santo Tomas, Manila,
Philippines. Retrieved May 2010. http://www.philippine-esl-
journal.com/V5_A4.pdf

R. C. Gardner (1985). The attitude/motivation test battery: technical

report. Retrieved September 2011.

Tella, J. et al. (2011). Students’ perspectives on the secondary school english

curriculum in kenya: some related implications. Retrieved May
05, 2011. http://interesjournals.org/ER/pdf/2011/January/
Tella%20et%20al.pdf

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